Education

An updated strategic plan is close to completion for the district. Superintendent Patrick Twomey said the district has spent about a year-and-a-half working on its vision for "what education can look like here in Macomb."

I am an educator and a parent with daughters in the 7th and 8th grades in the Macomb Public Schools. Like many others schools - although not all - throughout the nation, Macomb schools will be administering the PARRC exam this month to its students.

Both of the major party candidates for governor say Illinois should put more money into education. But neither are ready to embrace a controversial plan that would change how state money is distributed to schools.

There's been an uproar in some Chicago suburbs lately, over a proposal that's already passed the Illinois Senate. Under it, many districts there would see cuts in state funding, because they're in wealthier areas.

College students are back on campus and classes are underway. Parents at some Illinois schools have extra assurance their kids will be safe when they're at school.

Universities and colleges are often ranked, making "best of" lists for one program or the other.

But only a couple in Illinois have achieved the designation of becoming a "Ready to Respond" campus -- a title given by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency after the school has met criteria, like developing a violence prevention plan and going through training exercises.